A quick example setup for the APC20 / APC40 can be found in the Templates menu within VDMX.

In addition to sending values, many new MIDI and OSC controllers can also receive information back from the software they are working with to update their own interfaces, whether with LED buttons that light up, motorized faders, or touch-screens with virtual interface items.

When working with controllers that can receive talkback messages, the Media Bin plugin can be set to relay the current state of the clip currently associated with individual MIDI triggers, allowing interfaces to update to display what clips are playing and other useful information without having to look on the computer screen.

This tutorial covers the steps needed to set up UI sync with the APC20 and APC40 controllers, but the technique is very similar for other hardware devices such as the Launchpad and Ohm-64, as well as touchscreen apps like TouchOSC.

Buttons on the Clip Launch automatically light up for available and currently playing clips in the bin.

1. Inspect a Media Bin and under 'Triggers' set up the range of MIDI buttons.

To automatically set up a quadrant of MIDI buttons on the APC grid, click the 'Range' button, then press the top-left MIDI button, followed by the bottom-right MIDI button.

- or -

Use 'Hardware Learn' mode option in the 'Workspace' menu and press each MIDI button in the order you wish to use them in the bin.

Media Bin waiting for the 'Bottom Right' note during 'Range' detect.

2. In the 'Sending' tab set the 'Sync UI With Device' menus to the controller to sync with.

In the 'Media Bin State Sender' sub-inspector, set the velocity values to send for each clip possible clip state to set the desired color of the buttons on the APC grid. The APC uses the following values:

0 - Off

1 / 2 - Green / Green (blinking)

3 / 4 - Red / Red (blinking)

5 / 6 - Orange / Orange (blinking)

Media Bin inspector with APC20 set up for UI sync.

Tip-- When using the APC grid to trigger more than one media bin, use different colors for the Ready and Playing states for each region.

Left and Right Media Bins for Layer 1 and Layer 2 respectively..

Left and Right Media Bins sharing the APC20 Clip Launch with different colors for non-playing clips.